Water-meter.



R. J. LYMAN.

WATER METER.

APPLICATION FILED lULY I0, 1916.

1,215,674. ,Iatented Feb. 13, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET I v. 7/. Mn /a 'EIII II-III III iltfoznu o R. J. LYMAN.

WATER METER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10. 1916.

Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

um/who's atfozmtaa RAY JAY LYMAN, OF' TWIN FALLS, IDAHO.

WATER-METER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

Application filed July 10, 1916. Serial No. 108,443.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, RAY J. LYMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Twin Falls, in the county of Twin Falls and State of Idaho, have invented certain new and useful Improvements .in Water- Meters; and I do declare the following to be a full. clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in water meters and more particularly to those which are primarily designed for registering thenumber of acre-feet of water passing over a dam or weir, the invention being adapted for use in connection with irrigating systems in' order that the person or persons supplying irrigating water to agricul turalists may ascertain the exact amount used in any given period. I

The object of the invention is to provide a simply constructed and inexpensive device of the class described which will be efiicient regardless of the water head passing over the weir and which will be practically tamper-proof.

With this general object in view, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction, and in unique combinations of parts to be hereinafter fully described and claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanying drawings which constitute a part of this application and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the. downstream side of a weir showing the application of the invention, the regulating tank being in vertical section;

Fig. 2 is a top-plan view .of theimprovedmeter and the weir;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken 7 on the plane of the line 33 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 is a detail vertical section on the plane designated bythe line 4-1 of Fig. 3. In specifically describing the structure shown in the drawings above briefly described, similar characters will be employed to designatecorresponding parts throughout theseveral-views and reference will be herein, made to the numerous elements by their respective indices. To this end the numeralil designates a dam or weir of any preferred construction, the same being shown as having a notch2 in its upper edge through which the water is adapted to pass.

As above stated, it is the intention of the invention to accurately register the number of acre-feet of water supplied during any period of time. In accomplishing this result the improved features of construction now to be described are employed.

An upright tank 3 is secured in any preferred manner to the down-stream side of the weir 1, said tank having a series of vertically extending compartments designated in the drawings at 4, 5 and 6. The compartments 4 and 5 communicate through a series of vertically spaced ports 7 controlled by valve screws 8 while the compartments 5 and 6 are in communication with each other through smaller ports 9, which may be controlled by screw valves 10, all of the valves 8 and 10 being accessible from the exterior of the casing for the purpose of making adjustments. I

A water supply pipe 11 is disposed at the crest of the weir on the up-stream side thereof, said pipe having a plurality of water inlets 12 which preferably face up-stream as shown. The pipe 11 is connected by a suitable joint 13 to other piping 14 which discharges into the lower end of the compartment 4, said end of this compartment, and in fact this end of all of the compartments 1, 5 and 6 being disposed on the same level with the crest of the weir. It will thus be evident that the water .level within the compartment 4 will always equal that ofthe water passing through the notch 2 of .the weir. The depth of this water may be which a constant jet of water will be discharged from said compartment, the discharge of this jet being controlled by the height of Water within'said compartment. The jet in question serves to drive the register as will be described.

The register 18 may be of any suitable construction, said register being preferably mounted on a bracket 19 extending inwardly from one arm 20 of a U-shaped hanger bar 21, the other arm 22 of said bar being secured to the'lower end of the tank 3. The register 18 is provided with a star wheel 23 actuated by a pin 24 which extends laterally from a worm gear 25 mounted between the bracket 19 and an additional bracket 26 also secured to arm 20. A worm 27 on a horizontal shaft 28 meshes with the gear 25, said shaft having thereon a turbine wheel 29 of any suitable construction, this wheel being shown in the present embodiment of the invention as having a number of cup-shaped buckets to receive the water discharged from the vent 17. Both ends of the shaft -28 are preferably pointed to decrease friction, one of said ends being received in a socket 30' in the arm 22, while the other end rests within a similar socket 31 in a screw 32 which is threaded through the arm 20.

By the construction just described it will be obvious that the water discharged from the vent 17 will actuate the register 18.

The water levels in the compartments 4, 5, and 6 will be at different heights, due to proper adjustment of the valves 8 and 10, and the fact that water is being at all times expelled from the compartment 6' and being supplied to compartment +1. The level in the last named compartment will be the highest of the three and will be in or approximately in horizontal alinement with the level of the head passing over the dam. Since water is at all times being discharged from the compartment 6, however, by means of the opening 17, the level in this compartment will be lower than the others, and the level in compartment 5 will be between the other two levels.

The provision of the plurality of compartments is a highly advantageous feature in view of the fact that by these compartments and their valves, the height of the water column'or head passing over the weir may be greatly reduced before being dis charged through the outlet 17. This is necessary in order to propel the turbine wheel at the proper speed, it being obvious that as the head of the water passing over the weir increases, the water levels in the three compartments 4, 5, and 6 will also rise, but at no time will the level in compartment 6 equal that in compartment 4. This is highly essential since it prevents the turbine from racing or rotating at too great a speed, it having been found that a high column of water discharging onto said Wheel will drive the same at such a speed as to prevent the registering mechanism from accurately performing its function.

Attention is directed to the fact that bv disposing pipe 11 on the up-stream side of the Weir it is practically inaccessible and thus a dishonest farmer who might be inclined to tamper with the device to prevent the proper registration of the Water'used, will be prevented from plugging the inlets 12.

In the foregoing I have described certain specific details of construction for accomplishing probably the best results and in the drawing such details have been described, but it is to be understood that within the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous changes may be made Without sacrificing the main advantages thereof.

I claim:

1. A water meter for use in connection with a Weir, said meter comprising a Water conducting pipe to lead from the crest of the weir, a tank having a number of compartments into one of which said pipe discharges, another of said compartments having an outlet, and all qf said compartments being in communication through a plurality of spaced ports, a water turbine to be driven by the water discharged from said outlet, and registering means actuated by said turbine.

2. A water meter for use in connection with a Weir, said meter comprising a water conducting pipe to lead from the crest of the weir, a tank to be disposed on the downstream side of the Weir, said tank having a series of vertically extending compartments in communication through a series of vertically spaced ports, the aforesaid pipe discharging into the compartment at one end of the series and the compartment at the other end thereof having an outlet, a water turbine to be driven by the water discharged from said outlet and a register actuated by said turbine.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BAY J AY LYMAN.

Witnesses:

CURTIS TURNER, HENRY J. GAILING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

